Erratic driving leads to heroin arrest in Boardman

A Gibsonia, Pa., woman was arrested Friday after police found her in possession of suspected heroin.

Natalie Ann Leahy, 29, of Lakewood Drive, was stopped by Boardman police when she was observed driving a 1999 Buick sedan erratically while northbound on Market Street.

When she was pulled over, Leahy told police she was on the telephone prior to the stop.

Police noticed “extensive” front-end damage to her vehicle that appeared to be caused by a recent collision.

The vehicle was steaming and losing fluids, according to the report. When police asked Leahy to open the hood, it would not open due to the damage.

Police conducted three field-sobriety tests, which Leahy could not successfully complete.

When Leahy was arrested on a charge of operating a vehicle while under the influence, police searched her and found four bindles of heroin in her jacket, the police report stated.

In her vehicle, police found 18 syringes, a charred spoon, cotton filters and “numerous prescription pills” including a plastic bag containing pills identified as Alprazolam.

Leahy refused to take any drug tests and was incarcerated in the Mahoning County jail on charges of possession of heroin, possession of drug abuse instruments, drug abuse of a Schedule IV drug and operating a vehicle while under the influence.

An arraignment has been set in the case for today in Mahoning County court.